Transportation to/ from Orange Co Conv. Ctr

[DWillowBay]

I will be attending a conference in March, 2015, in Downtown Orlando at the Convention Center. I would like to stay on Disney property and commute to the conference, but also need to consider the costs of such an adventure. Is there any public transportation that would get me from Disney Property to Orange Co Convention Center for a reasonable price, or do I need to rent a car? Are there other forms of transportation (Mears, etc) that would be cost effective? Or….should I stay in town and commute to the parks? Any knowledgeable input will be appreciated.

 

[DVC California]

The Orange County Convention Center is on International Drive, so I'm not sure if that is considered Downtown Orlando. In any case, if you're attending a conference there, I wouldn't consider public transportation. Travel time from a WDW resort is time prohibitive (minimum 2 hours each way and approx. 4 transfers using both WDW transportation and Lynx regional buses!).

I think renting a car will be the easiest, fastest and most cost effective. Keep in mind you will also have to pay to park at the convention center ($15/entry).

Mears will be about $40 one-way and taxi $50 one-way.

It's probably more "practical" to stay near the convention center but way more fun to stay at WDW. If you plan on going into the parks, dine, or shop at DTD, staying at a WDW resort will make the evenings easier.

HTH, Steve

 

[Readerbug]

It's probably more "practical" to stay near the convention center but way more fun to stay at WDW. If you plan on going into the parks, dine, or shop at DTD, staying at a WDW resort will make the evenings easier.

HTH, Steve

We have done the same- toss out practical for fun!- for a conf. in Oct, and are researching similar info as the OP. Mears is 40 one way. All the other routes are out, just as Steve says.

Driving our car means a larger-than-Disney-charges, parking fee every day, plus leaving the rest of the family stranded for the day.

Is there a LYNX expert who could give me the connections and approximate data to and from the Convention Center? The Disney bus is Link 50, I can't tell that there is any direct connection to any of the routes serving the OCCC... 8, 38, 58, 111, I think...

What would the connection hub be? It may indeed be a 2 hour LYNX journey, but I would like to know the exact particulars, as close as I can come...

Thank you, in advance if anyone can point us just a little closer in deciphering the bus info. Of course, once it is proven to me, I may just have to bite the commuting bullet, but I want to be thorough and sure!

Thanks, any bus riders out there!

 

[DVC California]

I'm definitely not an expert nor have I ever used Lynx. But I did a quick search and found this thread from last year that may be helpful.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=48569290#post48569290

Steve

 

[joelkfla]

Google Maps Directions has a bus option which plans the trip using Lynx schedules. Here is the trip via Lynx from Disney's TTC calculated for arrival by 8:30 a.m. on a weekday. Click on the start and end times under the destination to bring up the full route description and change the trip time. At the bottom of the full description, there's a link to www.golynx.com where you can view the full schedule.

As you can see, travel time once you get on Link 50 at TTC is about an hour. But you have to add the time to get to TTC from your resort. From a monorail resort, that would be 30 minutes. (You can walk from Poly in about 10.) From other Disney resorts, you should allow an hour. The earliest you could count on arriving at TTC would be about 7:30. If you miss the 7:33 bus from TTC, the next one would be at 8:03.

You can also board Link 50 at DTD, but buses from most resorts to DTD don't start running until 8 or 8:30. Link 50 also makes several stops along Hotel Plaza Blvd. and Palm Pkwy. The Hotel Plaza Blvd. resorts have free shuttle service to the Disney parks every hour; they're on Disney property but are not operated by Disney. LBV Hilton guests get EMH, other hotels do not.

If you do decide to travel by Lynx, you should go to the www.golynx.com site to purchase a weekly pass in advance. It will save you having to use exact change on the bus, and save you money if you will be using the bus on several days.

 

[DWillowBay]

Thank you for all the feedback. I will have to wait to see if any discounts are released at Disney (typically there is an Oct release date for Spring) to see if I can make it somehow cost effective or at least cost acceptable to be on-property. Being that it is Spring Break time, I do not want to stay at the Values, so ....lots to consider. Thank you again for your help.

 

[Readerbug]

Posting just to express appreciation may waste forum space, not communicating anything 'essential'--- but I think help like the two previous posters gave, a bit of selfless service and then some, is the heart and essence of the pixiedust- or the heartful , hands-outstretched humanity- of this board. Thank You!!

 

[Grumpy92]

Lynx buses are available or you could use Uber car service.

 

[DOOM1001]

Downtown Orlando is 10 miles north of the Orange County Convention center which is located on International Drive close to Sea World.If time is an issue the best option is to rent a car or take a Mears shuttle or taxi.If youre more flexible with the schedule and want to save a few bucks maybe take a taxi from DTD to the Orlando Premium outlets Vineland ave location and get on the I-Ride trolley which runs from about 8am to 10pm and takes you up and down International Drive,its like $2 to ride and the taxi from DTD to the Vineland outlets is the closest points between Disney property and this trolley which puts you in the other tourist corridor that includes the Convention center,Sea World,Universal,Wet n Wild and Aquatica with the Orlando Premium outlets I Drive location at the north end past Universal.

 

[joelkfla]

If youre more flexible with the schedule and want to save a few bucks maybe take a taxi from DTD to the Orlando Premium outlets Vineland ave location and get on the I-Ride trolley which runs from about 8am to 10pm and takes you up and down International Drive,

Link 8 runs essentially the same route as the I-Ride (not really a trolley, just a dressed-up bus), running every 15 minutes weekday days and early evenings, less frequently after 7 p.m. and on weekends.

If someone is purchasing a Lynx pass, there's usually no need to pay extra for I-Ride. If just travelling up and down I-Drive, either one will work.